Chapter 22: Imperial Capital
After the army marched south for two days, the temperature gradually rose.
The Empire was in autumn, and the early autumn weather was not sweltering; occasional cool breezes invigorated the spirit.
Their current position was already deep within the Empire, with the Imperial Capital in sight.
Finally, the Imperial Capital was the main battlefield.
As they neared the Imperial Capital, they occasionally encountered traveling merchants on the main road. Upon seeing the army, these merchants quickly urged their carriages aside, heads lowered, not daring to look directly at the troops.
However, upon spotting the blue-haired female general at the head of the formation, the merchants showed clear surprise.
"General Esdeath has returned. Wasn't she dispatched to the far northern battlefield?"
"Could it be..."
One merchant dared not continue.
"Don't talk nonsense. Look at the army's morale. Does this look like a defeated force? It's clearly a triumphant return."
"But a campaign of that scale should take at least half a year to a year."
The merchants whispered among themselves, their earlier fear and resentment dissipating.
If there was one army in the Imperial Capital supported by the common people, it was this one.
The army's direction was not toward the Imperial Capital itself, but toward the military camp on its outskirts. News of the great victory in the far north had already spread. Three generals stood quietly before the camp, awaiting Esdeath's return. These three were her trusted subordinates, all Imperial Arms users, collectively known as the Three Beasts.
Among the three were an old man, a burly man, and a... loli?
The old man, dressed like a butler, was named Liwa. A former Imperial general, he had been imprisoned after offending the powerful and was later rescued by Esdeath. His loyalty was absolute. His Imperial Arm was "Water Dragon Reliance: Black Marin," a ring-type Imperial Arm that could manipulate any liquid.
The burly man was named Daidasu, a battle maniac. His Imperial Arm was called "Twin Axes: Bellwark." The two axes were usually combined into one but could be split from the middle. Once thrown, as long as the axe retained momentum, it would track its target.
The last "girl," dressed in a loli style, was named Niu. Although he looked like a loli, he was actually a **loli—meaning a man in women's clothing.
Niu's Imperial Arm was "Military Dream: Shriek," a flute that could manipulate the emotions and physical state of enemies by playing different tunes. It was a support-type Imperial Arm.
The three stood rigidly before the camp. Upon seeing Esdeath's figure, they immediately stepped forward.
"General, you must be weary from the journey. Your subordinates have prepared a welcoming feast for you."
The old man Liwa spoke, bowing forward slightly, one hand pressed to his chest. His white gloves and attire made him look like a butler. He was the leader of the Three Beasts.
"There's no need for a feast just yet. I'll take you to meet the Little Emperor shortly, but first, let me introduce a new colleague."
The Three Beasts looked puzzled.
"A colleague? Did the General recruit talent in the far north?"
"Yes, I struck gold this time. I took in a dark operative from another country."
Hearing Esdeath's words, the old man Liwa frowned slightly. Members of assassination units usually had complicated backgrounds.
But Liwa said nothing; this was Esdeath's will, and he would not defy it.
"Let me tell you in advance—this new colleague of yours is a member of a top-tier assassination unit. I've fought him before. In terms of solo combat ability, he might not be weaker than me."
The Three Beasts were stunned, staring blankly at Esdeath.
"Combat ability... not weaker than you, General?"
The **loli Niu swallowed hard, his voice somewhat androgynous.
"Bai Ye."
Esdeath called out toward the rear of the army. The Three Beasts' gazes locked onto that direction.
A man with black hair and black eyes, a longsword at his waist, walked over. His build was not imposing, but he exuded a sharpness.
"This is your future colleague, Bai Ye."
Esdeath looked at Su Xiao.
"And these three are my subordinates."
"Mm."
Su Xiao responded, already recognizing the trio.
The group was called the Three Beasts. Though not weak, they would all meet their end in a later mission. The burly man died the quickest, getting taken out less than five minutes after his appearance.
"Mind your tone when speaking to the General."
The old man Liwa spoke, his gaze unfriendly.
"Don't mind that. Bai Ye's personality is like this. Members trained by top assassination units all have character flaws; he's the most normal one."
"My apologies, General."
Liwa bowed again.
Su Xiao paid no attention to Liwa's tone. Why bother with someone who would die shortly after their debut?
"It's getting late. Let's go see His Majesty."
The four boarded a carriage and headed for the Imperial Capital. The Imperial Capital was quite large, a major city built in a terraced layout, with the center being the highest point.
The heart of the Imperial Capital was the Imperial Palace, which could be called a city within a city, indicating its vast size.
The entire palace was a bloated circular structure, with layered, pointed spires reaching over a hundred meters at the highest point.
The carriage traveled through the Imperial Capital. The streets were bustling with pedestrians in fine clothing. As the nation's capital, economic prosperity was a given.
The sun hung lazily at the horizon, casting a dim yellow glow over the entire Imperial Capital. It was already six in the evening.
The carriage arrived at the palace gates. This should have been a heavily guarded area, but the guards, upon seeing the insignia on the carriage, simply asked a few questions and let it pass without even requiring Esdeath to show herself.
The palace grounds were extensive. After a while, the carriage reached the front of the main hall.
This surprised Su Xiao. This was the Imperial Palace—how could a general drive a carriage right up to the main hall? Shouldn't they dismount outside the palace and walk? It seemed the Little Emperor was more useless than imagined, at least in terms of Esdeath's regard for him.
They dismounted and entered the main hall. The hall was solemn, with a red carpet on the floor. At the far end was a golden throne on a raised platform—the Emperor's seat.
A boy of about thirteen or fourteen sat on the throne. This was the Little Emperor.
The Little Emperor was thin and frail, giving an impression of malnutrition. His purple attire was mismatched and somewhat effeminate.
Though he was the Emperor, he lacked any sense of authority. Su Xiao felt this was a very weak-willed youth.
Esdeath led Su Xiao and the other three into the hall, stopping a few meters from the Little Emperor and kneeling on one knee.
It was more of a crouch than a kneel; her bent leg didn't touch the ground. This posture spoke volumes.
The Little Emperor's expression remained unchanged, as if this were normal.
Su Xiao followed suit, crouching down. There was no way he would actually kneel.
At this point, he considered whether to seize the Little Emperor. This boy was clearly a pushover.
Beside the Little Emperor stood a fat, elderly man with a large beard.
The obese middle-aged man had white hair and beard, but due to his plumpness, his skin was unwrinkled. A life of luxury kept him from looking old; if not for his white hair, one might mistake him for a middle-aged man.
This fat old man was the Minister, the one controlling the Little Emperor.
The Minister held a plate of meat, standing with a big belly beside the Little Emperor. The meat was for himself, not the Emperor.
After this initial observation, Su Xiao decided to hold off. He wasn't sure if the key was on the Little Emperor; this required a long-term plan.